On Monday, 1 September 2025, Midvaal Local Municipality in partnership with Heineken Beverages, opened its first skills development centre in Savanna City near Sedibeng Brewery. The project, initiated in line with the executive mayor, Alderman Peter Teixeira’s mayoral undertaking of creating opportunities for all, has been years in the making and a true milestone for the municipality. This promise, first made in 2021, required persistent effort, extensive planning, and countless negotiations to finally bring the vision to life.
The Centre is the result of a strategic partnership between Midvaal Local Municipality and Heineken Beverages, reflecting a shared commitment to empowering communities through education, training, and opportunity. The Skills Development Centre is designed to bridge the skills gap in our community by offering training in various artisan trades, including plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, electrical work, millwrighting, boiler making, and many others. In addition, the Centre will serve as a hub for innovation and enterprise development, equipping young people and the local workforce with practical skills, while also providing SMMEs with access to information and facilities to support business growth.
The executive mayor, Alderman Peter Teixeira, remarked: “Young people want to contribute meaningfully to their families, their communities, and to our country. But too often, the opportunities have been limited because of South Africa’s sluggish economic growth. This Skills Development Centre is a direct response to that reality. It is about equipping our people with the tools to create a better life for themselves.”
Heineken Beverages managing director, Jordi Borrut, added: “Our donation of containers for this Skills Centre reflects our commitment to sustainable solutions that serve real community needs. We applaud the Mayor’s leadership in driving skills development, and we’re proud to play a role in enabling spaces that empower local communities with knowledge and opportunity.”
The CEO of Ranyaka Community Transformation, Ms Sithembiso Malevu, the Centre’s implementing agent, also noted: “The Skills Development Centre represents a new chapter for Midvaal and its communities. For us at Ranyaka, this is more than just a building; it is a platform of opportunity where young people, women, and small businesses can access the skills, networks, and resources they need to thrive. We are proud to collaborate with the Municipality and Heineken in making this vision a reality, and we look forward to walking this journey with the community to ensure the centre remains responsive to their aspirations.”
The opening of this centre, along with the new partnerships and commitments, marks the beginning of a lasting legacy, one that extends beyond a single project and reflects Midvaal’s broader vision of empowering the youth and workforce of this region. Midvaal Local Municipality will continue to work to create opportunities for all and bring opportunities directly to Midvaal’s youth, ensuring they have the skills and resources needed to build a sustainable future.
